Alfalfa assessing the frozen Lake, Jan 2013

I couldn't help wondering - what is he thinking??

If he leaned any further he might have needed AFLAC

I can just hear him -  "I'm outta here!"

Not a Snowy Egret........

What a great surprise to see a White Heron on Lake Afton!  I originally mistook it for a Snowy Egret.  After some research --- it's a White Heron.  I learned something new!  Here, standing in the midst of a fallen tree branch.

Flapping his wings as he (or she) gracefully moves from one branch to another.

Interesting fact: Snowy Egrets have bright yellow feet!  White Herons have black feet, matching their black legs. 

Like the Blue Heron, they are just so fascinating to watch!

Uh oh.  Now he's doing the watching!

Just can't get enough.  I was just compelled to continue to look at him.

Beautiful

He looks like he might pounce on some unsuspecting fish

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It seemed like he was posing for a picture so I thought I'd oblige

Great Blue Heron - now that the lake is low

What an amazing bird!  I love watching blue herons!

What a LONG neck!

I love watching them but have to use my zoom lens and be careful to move VERY slowly.  They're very skittish.

There's something about them... they look prehistoric... and are fascinating to watch

Lake Afton's new wall begins!

The second trenched area as another section of retaining wall foundation begins.

Labor intense work!

Looks pretty deep.

As the lake water rises back to normal only the top layer of the stone wall shown in this picture will be seen.  When it's all done, there will be another couple of layers of smaller stones on this wall edge.  Exciting stuff!

Alfalfa looking out for his best friend? Or a security blanket named Monkey?

Alfalfa hanging out with me on the patio by the Lake.  He's leaning a little to the right to take pressure off of his left foot which he injured.  Not exactly sure how, but suspect he slipped getting out of his pool.  Maybe he is related to the AFLAC duck!

Alfalfa either sees or hears something above.

 Here's what happens behind the scenes...Alfalfa lately will not follow me to the patio unless we invite Monkey also.

Is Alfalfa's Monkey his BFF?

Kind of reminds me of Kermit and Miss Piggy.

Alfalfa in the Lake :)

My daughter was successful in getting Alfalfa into the Lake by standing in the lake with waders on and either coaxing him into the water or picking Alfalfa up and putting him in the water.  However, Alfalfa still is not really interested in interacting with other ducks and Alfalfa rarely will give any eye contact to any ducks or geese although he's aware of their presence.  After all, in order to ignore and not look at someone you have to know where they are and where not to look.  :)

Alfalfa swimming ever so close to my daughter who is standing in the lake with waders on.

The important thing is that Alfalfa is still in the water.

Notice that Alfalfa has not turned around to face other ducks in the lake.

We're pleased that he likes to drink from the lake and look for food in the lake.  Yeah!

Oh.  He's turned away from the wall.  Maybe he's casually checking to see what the other ducks are doing?

Four baby mallards came over to check things out and Alfalfa is not leaving his post.

Alfalfa puts his head on our lap when he wants some help/sympathy

Seems not to mind being in the lake..... as long as he's close to my daughter.

Funny, Alfalfa normally isn't THAT close to any of us.  :)

Once again, Alfalfa won't acknowledge the Call Ducks.  He doesn't seem to realize that his behavior towards them only encourages them to pick on him :(

Huh.  All the Call Ducks are seeing is the back of Alfalfa's head and his tail feathers.

Alfalfa got his wish, I guess.  The Call Ducks eventually got bored and left.  You can lead a duck to water.......

He's so not interested in checking out his natural habitat

We were trying to introduce Alfalfa to the lake water in hopes that he'll eventually prefer the much larger lake over his kiddie pool.  No such luck!  He could not be coerced into getting any more than his feet wet.  Notice his back is to the lake?   We'll keep trying!